Regulating apparatus for air-compressors.



REGULATINQ APPARATUS FOR AIR COMPRESSORS.

' APPLICATiON FILED JAN.'17, 1914.

Patented May 7, 1918.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

, Imm FHZZEGOOaQ. hkswrwsr P. E. GOOD. H REGULATING-AEPARATUS FOR AIR GOMPRESSORS; 7

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1914.

1,265,444. Patented MayZ 1918.

' v a I I I. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

REGULATING APPARATUS FOR AIR COMPRESSORS. APPLICATLON FILED JAN. 11. 1914.

, Patented May 7,1918 a SHEETS-SHEET a.

PAUL E. GOOD, OF RIVEBTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SOUTHWARK FOUNDRY & MACHINE 00., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1918.

Application filed January 17, 1914. Serial No. 812,705.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I PAUL E. G001), a citizen of the United States, residing in Riverton, county of Burlington, State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Regulating Apparatus for Air-Compressors, of'which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a device for controlling and rendering stable the operation of compressors of the centrifugal type and of either single or multiple stage, when the same are required to deliver air or other compressible fluid at a constant pressure irrespective of the volume required, the invention also contemplating novel means for preventing surging or temporary reversal of the'current in the machine when the quantity of fiuid delivered is relatively small or nothing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a regulating a paratus designed to fulfil the a ove note functions, which shall be relatively simple and inexpensive to construct and which shall be reliable under operating conditions, as well as of such a nature as to .require a minimum of attention and repair.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a turbine driven compressor to which my invention has been applied, and

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections illustrating the detail construction of certain parts of the invention.

In the above drawings, 1 represents a supporting base structure .on which are mounted a; turbine 2 and two blowing machines 3 and 4, of which the outlet of the first is connected by a pipe 5 to the inlet of the second to form' what is in this case an eight stage compressor. Both of the blowers 3 and 4 are driven from the turbine 2 through a shaft 6, made in sections detachably connected by couplings 7 and 8 placed in this case between the turbine and the machine 3 and between this latter machine and the machine i respectively. The intake of the compressor is connected to an inlet pipe 9 in which is mounted a butterfly or other form of valve 10 having an operating arm extending, outside of the said inlet pipe.

The machine 4 has its outlet connected through a receiver 11 with a discharge pipe 12, and this receiver is also provided with a Waste pipe 13 in which is connected a valve 14, whose stem 15 is connected througha hell crank lever 16 and a link 17, to a plate 18 mounted on one end of a lever 19. This lever is fulcrumed on a bracket 20, and its end opposite that engaged by the plate 18 has detachably mounted on it a weight 21. The plate 18 through a link 22, a bell crank lever 23 and a link 24 is connected to the arm 25, which is fixed to the spindle of the butterfly valv 10 in the inlet pipe 9.

From Fig. 2 it Will be seen that the plate 18 is so connected to the link 17 as to permit of its being lowered through a predetermined distance under the action of the lever 19, before said link is operatively engaged, and this end is accomplished by the provision of a-lug 26 fixed to the plate 18 and perforated for the reception of said link 17 On the end of the latter is placed a pair of nuts 27 whereby it is possible to adjust the point at which the link 17 is actuated by movement of the plate.

I preferably provide the bell crank lever 16- with a counterweight 28 and a spring 29 whereby the valve attached to the stem 15 is normally held in a closed position. As shown in Fig. 2, that end of. the lever 19 distant from the plate 18 carries an adjustable Weight 21 and is connected to a rod 31 which has fixed to it a piston 32 operating in a dash pot 33 ;-there being two passages extending through said piston. Of these the passage 34 is relatively small and the second passage is normally closed by a valve 35,

the-arrangement being such that the sud-.

den movement of the piston and hence of the lever-19, is eifectually preventedin either direction, although the movement is easler when the Weighted end of the lever moves upwardly than when it moves in the opposite direction.

Also connected to the lever by a rod 37 is a piston 35 which is movable in a cylinder 36, it being noted that the weight of said piston is made relatively great by means of a series ofannular weights 38 mounted upon it. Through a pipe 39 thelower end of the cylinder 36 is connected to the discharge anced. These valves are mounted on a stem 44 which is extended upwardly through a suitable stulfing box 45 and has connected to it one arm of a lever 46 fulcrumed on the frame or casing 47 in such manner that a Weight 48 on another arm of said lever at all times tends to open the valves 42 and 43. .L hove this lever the valve rod enters a cylinder 49, in which it is connected to a piston 50, made hollow for the reception of liquid and coiiperating with a fixed plunger 51 which in the present instance is integral with the head 52 of sald cyllnder. This socalled plunger has a passage 53, the effective area of which may be varied by an adjustable headed rod 54 so as to govern the action of the dash pot formed by the cylinder and piston.

The upper end of the valve rod 44 is fixed to a second piston 55 operative in a relatively small cylinder 56 and designed to have its top face acted on by fluid under pressure delivered through a pipe 57 connected to the discharge pipe 12 of the compressor. A spring 59 is confined between a disk 58 on the valve rod and the plunger in such manner as to tend to raise said rod 44 and its associated parts. The space under the piston 50 is connected through a pipe 60 with the atmosphere.

Under operating conditions, the combined action of thespring 59 and weight 48 holds in their uppermost positions the valve rod 44 with its two valve elements 42 and 43, so that steam is freely admitted to the turbine 2, whose consequent operation drives the blower 34. Likewise, the weights 21 and 38 hold the lever 19 with the piston 35 in its lowermost position in the cylinder 36, and at the same time retain the valve 10- in its full open position within the air inlet pipe 9 ;the relief valve 14being closed under the action of the weight 28 and thespring 29.

As the air pressure builds up in the receiver 11 and discharge pipe 12, it acts through the pipe 57 on the piston 55 and throttles the steam supply to the turbine until the speed of this latter is such as to maintain the air pressure in said receiver and discharge pipe at a predetermined con- 1 stant amount; At the same time, the air in the discharge pipe 12' acts through the pipe 39 within the cylinder 36', raising the piston 35 and through the plate 18,'link 22, lever 23 and link 24, moving the valve '10 in the AM-.. m a. mi LwJnJDLl 111. mu: uyuuuur 00,

pressure in the cylinder 36, is prevented by the dash pot 33 so that as a result of the reduction the air pressure in the receiver, pipe 12 and cylinder 36, movement of said piston ceases before it reaches the upper end of its cylinder and it automatically assumes a definite position in which the valve 14 is in a more or less open position allowing such an escape of air as will maintain the pressure in the discharge pipe at the desired point. As previously noted, the nuts 27 on the link 17 are adjustable and are set in such a position that the described movement of the lever 19 and plate 18 will impart such movement to the link 17 and movable element of the valve 14 as will accomplish the desired end. Likewise, a decrease of pressure in the cylinder permits the piston to move down and close the valve 14, as well as move the valve 10 toward its open position.

With this arrangement of parts, when the quantity of air delivered by the apparatus is cut down, as would occur by reason of the partial closing of a valve (not shown) in the pipe 12, the pressure of the air in said pipe ises and this results in av cutting down of the amount of air drawn in by the blower through the pipe 9. If the flow from the pipe 12 be completely stopped, the consequent further ris of pressure causes such an operation of the piston 35 as to open the relief valve 14 and permit the escape of a sufficient quantity of air to allow of a circulation through the blower such as will prevent overheating and stabilize its operation.

It is noted that the two devices constituted by the cylinder 36 with its associated parts, and the engine governor provided by the cylinder 56 and its coiiperating mechanism,

pressed air or other fluid at a pressure somewhat higher when the volume delivered is relatively small than when it is large. This variation in pressure is utilized to operate the former of said regulating devices to govern the inlet of air to the compressor and to ultimately open the relief valve 14: when there is no flow of air through the discharge pipe 12.

Obviously, the throttle valve 10 may be placed at any suitable point in the conduit or passage through which air flows in the blower circuit, as well as in the inlet pipe, without departing from my invention, and while I have referred to air as the fluid operated on b the blowers, etc., the apparatus is evident y available without material change, for use with any other fluid.

1 claim l. The combination with a compressor having an inlet and an outlet conduit, of a throttle valve in the fluid circuit of said compressor; a relief valve in the outlet conduit; and a single device actuated by fluid under pressure from said outlet conduit for opening the relief valve and closing the throttle valve when the pressure of said fluid exceeds a predetermined mount.

2. The combination of a compressor having an outlet and an inlet conduit; a valve in the fluid circuit of the compressor; with a single automatic device for moving said valve to a throttling position and thereafter causing waste of fluid from the outlet conduit when the pressure therein exceeds a predetermined amount.

3. The combination of a compressor having an outlet and an inlet conduit;=a throttle valve in the fluid circuit of the compressor; a relief valve connected to the outlet conduit; and a device for successively actuating said valves to first close the throttle valve and thereafter open the relief valve when the pressure in the outlet conduit reaches and thereafter exceeds a predetermined point.

4:. The combination of an engine; a compressor driven thereby; a governor for the engine actuated by fluid under pressure from the compressor and including means for regulating relatively slight mined amount; and means also actuated by said device, for permitting escape of fluid under pressurefrom the outlet of the compressor when the flow through said outlet ceases.

5. The combination of a fluid compressor; and an automatically acting device for first cutting down the flow of fluid through the compressor as the amount of compressed fluid delivered thereby is decreased, said device including means for finally causing escape of fluid under pressure from the outlet of the compressor when the flow from said outlet has completely ceased.

6. The combination of a compressor having an inlet and an outlet conduit; a valve in the fluid circuit of said compressor; a cylinder connected to receive fluid under pressure from the outlet conduit; a piston in said cylinder connected to actuate said valve; a relief valve connected to the outlet conduit of the compressor; and means connecting said relief valve with the piston.

7. The combination of a compressor having an inlet and an outlet conduit; a valve in the fluid circuit of the compressor; a cylinder connected to receive fluid under pressure from the outlet conduit; a piston in said cylinder connected to actuate said valve; a relief valve connected to the outlet conduit of the compressor; nd said relief valve with the piston, the parts of said apparatus being adjusted to cause the relief valve to be opened after the first valve has been moved to a throttling position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' PAUL E. GOOD.

Witnesses:

DANIEL A. PEIRCE, A. F. HOLMES.

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